US Patent 7316466 Maintenance mechanism for ink jet printer

A maintenance mechanism for an ink jet printer is configured in such a manner that a claw member (7) for locking a slide member (6) during wiping operation is swingably supported on a base member (5) which is fixed to an apparatus body so that the claw member (7) does not move to the left and right, and the claw member (7) is forced downward by guided projecting parts (6a) provided on the slide member (6) during a print job so that the claw member (7) does not interfere with a carriage (2) which moves back and forth along a main scanning direction across a printing area.